LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



021 929 698 8 



Xne California 

Historical Survey 

Commission 




Issued by 

California Historical Survey Commission 

1915 



Explanatory Statement Regarding tlie California 
Historical Survey Commission '^''^^ 

The California Historical Survej^ Commission was created b^ 
an act approved by the Governor on June 12, 1915, which in 
part reads as follows: 

"Section 1. There is hereby established a California 
historical survey commission composed of three members 
to be chosen as hereinafter provided. 

Sec. 2. The members of this commission shall be 
appointed by the governor of the State of California; 
provided, only that one of the members of said commis- 
sion shall be nominated by the board of regents of the 
University of California, and that one of the members of 
said commission shall be nominated by the board of grand 
officers of the Order of Native Sons of the Golden "West; 
all nominations however shall be subject to approval by 
the governor. 

****** 

Sec. 4. The purpose of this commission shall be to 
make a survey of materials on local history within the 
State of California by investigating documents in local 
depositories and in the possession of private individuals 
and other sources of original information on the early 
history of the State of California and to compile and keep 
a record of such sources of information." (Cal. Stat. 
1915, Chapter 763.) 

ORGANIZATION. In accordance with the provisions of the 
act the members of the Commission were appointed as follows: 
Hon. John F. Davis, Grand President of the Native Sons of the 
Golden West, San Francisco; Dr. Herbert E. Bolton, Professor 
of American History in the University of California, Berkeley; 
Mr. James M. Guinn, Secretary and Curator of the Southern 
California Historical Society, Los Angeles. 

The organization of the Commission was completed October 9, 
1915, at which time Commissioner John F. Davis was chosen 

chairman and Mr. Owen C. Coy, of Berkeley, appointed to 

Gift 
Gftni(»ti« l^.■ 
OPTS* n AOfv\ 



the position of secretary and archivist and entrusted with the 
general supervision of the field work of the Commission. 

An Advisory Committee of persons chosen on account of their 
ability and experience in dealing with the materials of Cali- 
fornia history was also named at this time. The members of 
this committee are : Dr. H. Morse Stephens, Sather Professor of 
History at the University of California, Berkeley ; Dr. Ephraim 
D. Adams, Professor of History at Stanford University, Palo 
Alto; Rev. Joseph M. Gleason, Member of the American His- 
torical Association, Palo Alto ; Dr. Rockwell D. Hunt, Professor 
of Economics and History at the University of Southern Cali- 
fornia, Los Angeles; Mrs. Margaret V. Allen, Secretary of the 
Pioneer and Historical Society, San Diego ; Dr. Charles E. Chap- 
man, Assistant Professor of California History at the Univer- 
sity of California, Berkeley; Miss Eudora Garoutte, California 
Department, State Library, Sacramento; and Mr. Charles B. 
Turrill, San Francisco. 

PURPOSE. As indicated in the fourth section of the act 
creating the Commission, its first purpose is to discover, examine 
and make known the sources of information on the early history 
of the State of California. 

Under the personal supervision of the secretary and archivist 
of the Commission the work has already been completed in the 
region of Humboldt County with most gratifying results, reveal- 
ing the fact that much material of great historical value lies 
buried among the dusty volumes and papers in the public 
archives or unknown in the hands of private parties. 

As rapidly as time and resources permit this survey will be 
carried into all the counties of the State, where an examination 
of the archives of the county officials will be made. In like 
manner the land office records and those of the other important 
federal officers will be considered. 

In addition to the public archives much invaluable informa- 
tion resides in the files of early newspapers, and in manuscript 
diaries or letters in private hands or in special collections. In 



so far as possible an efiPort will be made to discover these mate- 
rials and to publish fully such information as will be needed to 
give an indication as to their accessibility and the nature of 
their contents. In order that this feature of the work may be 
of the greatest value the hearty co-operation of all who may 
know of the presence of this kind of material is most earnestly 
desired. 

In addition to the benefit which it is evident this work will 
be to the student of history and the social sciences, the Commis- 
sion hopes also to render a distinct service to the local authorities 
and to the State at large in the matter of the safe preservation 
of the archives and in convenient and time-saving methods 
in the keeping of public records. This will be made possible 
through the comparison of the various methods pursued in the 
local offices of this State and by communication with similar 
commissions in other states. Archival science is becoming con- 
stantly more important and our own State should share in its 
benefits. 

In a word then, the one aim of the Historical Survey Commis- 
sion is to render to the scholars and officials of this State the 
greatest service possible within the limit of its resources. Any 
assistance rendered or courtesy shown the secretary or other of 
the field assistants will be greatly appreciated by the members 
of the Commission. 

If further information regarding the Commission is desired 
address : Owen C. Coy, Secretary and Archivist of the Historical 
Survey Commission, 2473 Prince Street, Berkeley, Cal. 

Signed, 



LIBRftRY OF CONGRESS 




John F. Davis, Chairman. 
Herbert E. Bolton. 
James M. Guinn. 

Members of the Commission. 



021 929 698 8 • ! 

San Francisco, November 15, 1915. 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



021 929 698 8 




